Oh Instagram, you’re really starting to bother all of us. You used to be so good. So, so, so very good. We’d look at beautiful images and be able to keep up with those we followed for 24 hours. It could be something done once a day with joy. We might try out some hashtags, follow some, make new ones for ourself. We had fun with over or under saturation, silly fonts, and over collaged pictures. It was easy and breezy, and we all looked forward to our IG communities.
Now our communities are all scattered. They don’t correlate. Our feed goes something like this: 11 hours, 4 hours, 9 hours, etc. The people I wanna see aren’t showing up, so I go to my peeps individually. I have a feeling I’m not showing up on my other’s feeds either: my engagement is at its all time low. I’m lucky if I get 30 likes per image. I suppose this is similar to the beginning, back when I was living in Beijing and was a new user on January, 11, 2011 with a pic from a trip to Malaysia–just three months after you’d been made. (By the way, please link to that pic because it has 0 likes and could use some love!!) But back then I was thrilled with 30 likes because I maybe had 30 followers. Now, at over 3000 my numbers don’t relate. They’re absurd. They cause me grief. And there are times when I just want to quit you Dear Instagram.
Plus, you’ve copied you’re way in and made a hybrid of yourself from two other social medias: Facebook and Snapchat. Why couldn’t you have stayed original? We used to love you! I mean yes, it will be fun to have filters on IG now, but that’s close to a form of plagiarism in my librarian book. Granted, I am now enjoying telling my video story more than my pictorial one simply because I have more engagement. That brings me back to community….
How can we get our communities back Instagram? Now we have sponsored content that I really have no interest. The big insta-bloggers are doing fine, but the little guy, the one like me, I really feel like quitting. Really, we all just want to be liked, and when we’re not, well….I’ll go somewhere else. For now I just don’t know where that is.
How are you feeling about Instagram? Is it driving you crazy? Or have you figure out a way to make it work for you?
*Hey, if you’re not following me yet, it’s time you do! I’m @krembdelakremb. ;D
*By the way, you may have found yet again, my pictures have nothing to do with my content–similar to last Wednesday. I think it’s because I’m eager to bring back those “On Wednesdays I Write” series. I have things to say. I want to share more. And Instagram if you’re reading this (hahaha! I make myself laugh!) I do hope you bring back the #instalove.
I also read Catherine’s post about the same thing and it makes me sad 🙁
I haven’t noticed too much of a difference yet but I’m sure I will soon enough. I usually check out my favourite bloggers individually if I feel I’m missing their posts, which is a bummer.
I love your photos here – you look gorgeous!
Suzy xx
http://www.suzyturner.com
Thank you Suzy. That’s how I go about Instagram these days too: I visit people individually. It’s hard though because sometimes I forget about people. It used to be so much easier when it was inclusive. Something I seek in my life!
Thank you for your encouragement though.
Love, Ann
Love this dress!! Totally agree about Instagram! It’s been frustrating!!
Jaymie
Totes!! Ugh!! :S
And thank you Jaymie!!
A x
I’m new to Instagram so I don’t really have much insight into what’s going wrong with it. I wish I’d grown a following years ago but c’est la vie. I used to love Twitter but rarely go there now. Where’s our next big place? Love your white crochet bag!
Thank you Gail. I’ve been on it since the beginning like I said, so it’s kind of frustrating the direction it’s gone in. I don’t know where the next big place is, but I’ll be sure to share when I find out. For now I do enjoy the video component of Instagram and I find I have more engagement there which is rather interesting.
I hemmed and hawed on this silly bag. Luckily when I went back to Targé it was still there and I swiped it up. I love it!!
Ann
I don’t do Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I’m following around 10 wonderful women bloggers and I occasionally dabble in the posts of others.
If you decide to quit blogging I will sit down and have a long, sad, cry Annie. I would very much miss knowing you. Give me a warning OK?
Oh Jude!! The other day, I really did wake up and think, “What am I doing?” And I thought of quitting. But then, I honestly thought of you!! I do love the blogging, and I feel like I have a solid group of followers here. I don’t get many comments but that’s ok. Not everyone wants to engage. But on Instagram, it’s so prevalent when one is failing, and that’s how that social media makes me feel. So sometimes I think of quitting that one, but I don’t know….
This summer, when I’m out at my cabin, without any wifi and Internet connection, I may give Instagram a break. I can keep up with blog posts by planning ahead and hitting up a café here and there, but the social media–ya, I may take a pause. I bet it will feel good! That won’t affect you though.
Jude, how ever did you find me? And what an amazing compliment to be one of your ten!! I feel so proud!!
Love, Annie
PS I’ll give a warning if summer posts need to slow down because of Internet issues, k?
I think I originally found you through Anna and Samantha. I’ve only been following blogs in general for about a year. Knowing women from all over the world is a wondrous thing and makes life richer. I gradually and genuinely began to care about all of these women as I grew to know them through their pictures and writing. You are part of my special group and I’m reluctant to give up those I think of as friends.
You really should take your break Anne. What a healthy thing. I love to think of you in those gorgeous Idaho mountains kicking back with your darling kids and husband; and your mom is joining you early in summer! If Instagram sucks right now lose it for awhile and get your MOJO back!
I’ll still be here on email/Bloglovin watching for your posts Annie.
You are right. They chose a business model like Facebook. They could have opted for a fee from the users, a subscription. I would have paid for it to keep it the way it was and without any advertising. But perhaps they researched that and couldn’t make it profitable.
Greetje